When soliciting questions for a recent mailbag, a common question that I got was to list the top X number of likely Eagles first-round picks. So, OK, I thought that was perhaps worth its own article. Here are my top six. Spoiler: They're all defensive linemen.
For this exercise, we'll also reference The Athletic's "consensus big board," which "combines rankings from a wide range of NFL Draft experts to identify how the top prospects are viewed relative to the rest of their class."
1) Walter Nolen, iDL, Ole Miss | Consensus big board ranking: 18th
Nolan was once the No. 1 recruit in the nation (via ESPN recruiting) coming out of high school. He is gifted with an extremely enticing blend of power and quickness, and while his production was disappointing early in his college career, it improved throughout and he was a disruptive force in 2024. He has exciting traits and high upside, and really shouldn't be available at pick 32, if we're only looking at his talent.
So why might he be available at pick 32? He has "character concerns," which stem from the fact that he attended five different schools in high school and college, which some view negatively.
A lot of teams picking in the top 10 of the 2023 draft should be embarrassed that they passed on Jalen Carter because of his character concerns, and I believe the Eagles would be thrilled if they had another chance to select a gifted iDL who fell because he doesn't have a perfect background.
2) James Pearce, EDGE, Tennessee | Consensus big board ranking: 21st
Pearce is a classic speed rusher with a quick get-off who can accelerate around the edge, beat offensive tackles with inside counters, or convert speed-to-power. He also dropped into coverage on occasion in Tennessee's defense and did not look out of place.
On the downside, he's light at 243 pounds, and could struggle to set the edge at the NFL level. Of course, last offseason the Eagles signed Bryce Huff, a speed rusher who leaves a lot to be desired as a run defender, and that hasn't worked out.
Still, drafting a 21-year-old kid whose game can develop in that area makes more sense than spending hefty resources on a guy who couldn't play the run in his fifth NFL season. But out of the box, Pearce should at least be a dangerous situational pass rusher who can add strength and perhaps grow into a reliable run defender, just as Nolan Smith did in his second season.
Entering the 2024 college football season, most draft analysts had Pearce as a potential top 10 pick. But like with Nolen above, ambiguous character concerns — in Pearce's case, coachability — have pushed him down some boards. Pearce's character concerns do seem a little more legit than Nolen's.
3) Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M | Consensus big board ranking: 40th
Scourton is an agile player with some effective pass rush moves, notably his inside and outside spins. He is also a tough defender against the run, with the motor and hustle to chase down runs from the backside. He makes some sense as a successor to Brandon Graham who would primarily play on the edge but has some iDL versatility on obvious passing downs.
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Scourton is also the second-youngest player in this draft class, per The Athletic's Dane Brugler. The Eagles tend to draft young prospects with their early picks.
I would view Scourton as a player likely to be available at pick 32, and a palatable option at that spot. I'd consider him something of the "safety school" first-round selection.
4) Mykel Williams, EDGE, Georgia | Consensus big board ranking: 15th
Williams has outstanding power, quickness, and agility to go along with his great length at 6'5, 260, with 34 3/8" arms. He is also versatile, as he lined up all over the Georgia defensive line.
Like most first-round Georgia defensive prospects, Williams' sack numbers aren't overwhelming (14 sacks in 3 seasons), but he also played through an ankle injury throughout the entire 2024 season. Williams plays disciplined team defense, and he's a force in the backfield against the run. That alone should earn him an immediate role in any defense. But he also has a lot of room to grow as a pass rusher as he continues to develop more of a rush repertoire.
Williams is highly unlikely to available at pick No. 32, but if he were to slide into the 20's where there are a lot of logical trade-up partners, I could see the Eagles having interest in moving up.
5) Donovan Ezeiruaku, EDGE, Boston College | Consensus big board ranking: 22nd
Ezeiruaku finished second in the nation in 2024 with 16.5 sacks. He also has 80 tackles (20 for loss), and 3 forced fumbles. He's a speed rusher who can turn the corner, and also win on inside counters. In the pros he'll have to prove that he can set the edge in the run game if he's going to be a three-down player, but he has pass rush chops, which should at least earn him an immediate role as a situational pass rusher.
6) Derrick Harmon, iDL, Oregon | Consensus big board ranking: 30th
Harmon had a breakout season at Oregon after transferring from Michigan State. In 2024, he had 45 tackles (11 for loss), 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 4 batted passes. He's quick, powerful, stout, and has good awareness when playing the run. He also has versatility to play up and down the line. Although he only had 8.5 career sacks, his natural athleticism is going to eventually translate to better sack production. I don't love pressures as a stat because it's so subjective, but he apparently led the NCAA with 55 pressures.
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